Day 36 The mercury went up to 94ºF-(34,35ºC). The humidity went up - 55 to 60 %. The THI was hovering around three digits. The sun was frying eggs on sidewalks,etc. It was hot. Seven of 11 made it past 60 miles. The 'Big Three' at the top made it past 70 miles each, but expectations were diminished by the elements that Ma Nature offered the race. One more day of high heat awaits, and then a little respite. Ashprihanal Aalto led yet again with 74.08 miles. Galya Balatskyy is still streaking with 71.3 miles. Vasu Duzhiy made home at 70.2 with nary a minute to spare. All survived.

Ashprihanal Aalto-2700 miles-new record- 35 days+03:34:45

old record-Madhupran Wolfgang Schwerk-35 days+14:01:21

Ashprihanal Aalto-36 days total-new record-2757.1712 miles(4437.2366 km)

old record-Madhupran Wolfgang Schwerk-2714.9136 miles(4369.2296 km)

Race stories

The 'real' summer has now arrived with higher temperatures and humdity. The runners are trying to beat the heat with ice in the hats, lots of cool fruit, water, slower running and other important precautions . The helpers and handlers are doing their best to keep their runners healthy and moving well. Mario, one of our Certified Nurses, comes regularly to make sure the runners do not suffer from dehydration and other helath problems.

In this short video Mario explains some of the responibilities involved in taking care of the runners.

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Sport and Meditation

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Race stories

On another day of good weather which was interupted by a strong but quickly passing thunderstorm, all the runners made some good progress towards their own goals. After passing the 2500 mile mark in second place Galya talks about trying to stay focused in the moment, just as in life and just as all the runners have been practicing since day one. No matter how close you seem to get to the goal, until you actually reach it, you have to stay focused on the present moment to make the future happen in the way that you expect. It's best if the mind remains quiet and peaceful, so there are many methods of achieving that goal throughout the day. One method that some of the runners use from time to time is bouncing a ball while they are running. Atmavir is the 'master' at using that method. Galya also has been doing this from time to time as you will see in this video.

Race Director's updates

Day 35 Five weeks in, and the field of eleven runners is still moving well. The Top Nine are probably all going to finish, one way or another. A tremendous thunderstorm with dangerous lightning and thunder hit the area this morning, dumping over an inch of rain in 15 to 20 minutes. No problem. Just get out the rain jacket or heavy duty umbrella and carry on. The Nine all made it past 60, as the mercury had trouble matching the steady rise of the humidity index. Ashprihasnsl Aalto led the charge with 75.73 miles, giving him an unreal average of 76.66 miles per day(123.37 km). Galya Balatskyy made the ridiculous sublime with 35 straight days over 70 miles. He even picked it up late in the evening to test his high gears. Vasu Duzhiy ran 71.89 to solidify his hold on the podium. Fourth place Yuri Trostenyuk reached 69.14 miles, his best day in nearly three weeks. Atmavir Spacil looked really good late with fast paced laps and a total of 72.44 miles. Surasa Mairer leads the ladies with another strong 63 mile day. A mini warm spell starts sunday. Lets see if it has any affect on the "Elite Eleven". Stay tuned.

Ashprihanal Aalto- 35 day total-new record 2683.0832 miles (4318.0035 km)

old record-Madhupran Wolfgang Schwerk- 2637.5328 miles (4244.6973 km)

Race Director's updates

Day 34 The top nine are all moving along well and taking advantage of a second straight summer of below average temperatures and cool evening breezes. Just on cue will appear a small warm front of hot, humid air this weekend to test our heroes as they move along the famous block. Ashprihanal Aalto placed 75.18 miles onto his scorecard today, made all the more impressive by the fact that the last 14 days for him are all at 75 miles or more- an elite performance never before seen at this race. Behind him is Galya Balatskyy with an unprecedented 34 staight days over 70 miles. Third place showcases Vasu Duzhiy who has notched 70 miles on 11 of the last 13 days. Atmavir Petr Spacil reached 71.34 miles to test his health concerns, which now seem to be in his rear view mirror. Surasa Mairer is averaging over 100 km per day and looks strong. Kaneenika Janakova has reached consistent form, evidenced by her 20 mile cushion over the daily requirement to finish. The top nine all appear as possible finishers if their health remains intact. We shall see.

Ashprihanal Aalto-2600 miles-new record-33 days+16:24:50

old record-Madhupran Wolfgang Schwerk-34 days+07:33:28

Ashprihanal Aalto-34 days total-new record-2607.3488 miles (4196.1208 km)

old record-Madhupran Wolfgang Schwerk-2572.7744 miles (4140.4787 km)

Race stories

Great weather once again on this exciting day which started with a crowd of over 8000 devout Muslim locals celebrating their Eid Mubarak across the street from the race camp. Despite the huge crowds gathered for over two hours it was a very peaceful and friendly atmosphere with some people inquiring about our 3100 mile race. During the day three runners crossed the 2000 mile mark: Kaneenika, Nirbhasa and Stutisheel. Ashprihanal passed the 2600 mile point which leaves him less than 500 miles to go to finish the race. At his current pace, if all goes well, not only will he break the current world record of 41 days and 8 hours but he would also go under 41 days, which has been unimaginable in the history of this race so far.

In the photos above and video below we see some of the runners making their way through the crowds of peaceful worshippers of Eid.

Race Director's updates

Day 33 From cool morning(65ºF) to warm afternoon to pleasant evening, the runners enjoyed a low humidity, high pressure sky and day. The top nine all carded 60 or above, with the Big Three rolling 70 miles and above once more. Surasa Mairer passed 2000 miles during her 63.66 mile day. Stutisheel Lebedyev rebounded from a few sick days to post 66.4 miles. Vasu Duzhiy reached 70.79 miles to move his per day average up to 69.41 miles. Galya Vladimir Balatskyy has now run 33 consecutive days of seventy miles or more- a marvelous streak never seen in this lengthy competition. Ashprihanal Aalto hit 75.73 miles for the fourth consecutive day to widen his lead over second place to over two full days. His expoits are below. He has his sights set on a lofty goal, to say the least.

Ashprihanal Aalto- 4000 km-new record-32 days+06:35:55

old record-Madhupran Wolfgang Schwerk-32 days+14:22:25

Ashprihanal Aalto-2500 miles-new record-32 days+10:01:46

old record-Madhupran Wolfgang Schwerk-32 days+17:24:34

Ashprihanal Aalto-33 days total- new record-2532.1632 miles (4075.1213 km)

old record-Madhupran Wolfgang Schwerk-2501.4304 miles (4025.6617 km)

Race stories

As another runner, Surasa, passes the 2000 mile mark, all the runners seem to be supporting each other and carrying each other on a unified energy through their intense and focused daily efforts and all the added energy from many helpers conducting this amazing race. Even the slowest of runners cover quite a few miles as the endless loops seem to generate the needed power to get closer and closer to the goal. The weather was perfect today and into the evening as the humidity was low and the temperatures cooling. Lots of visitors at all hours today including a group of young runners late at night who were inspired to run here and check out this race afterwards. We also had two birthdays celebrated, Daulot from Seattle and Pulak from the local New York area here. Every day is a celebration as the runners' endless efforts help to keep this neighborhood fill with excitement and activity.

Race Director's updates

Day 32 They paved 84th Avenue today, so the elite eleven were careful traversing along side the slightly winding road, fumes and heat emanating for a few hours until the asphalt set, the swirling breezes cooling the black creature new to the race straighaway. Rain stayed away and left the region as the runners continued on. The top three men continued their assault on personal and race records, the ladies moved along well and the rest managed illness and kept moving. Vasu Duzhiy ran over 70 miles for the ninth time in the last eleven days. He looks strong and fit. Galya Balatskyy continued the streak at 32 straight days above the 70 mile mark. Surasa Mairer ran 64.2 miles to increase her average to about 100 km. Last but not least, the 'Flying Finn' Ashprihanal Aalto topped them all with 75.73 miles. A few days of lower humidity and cool evenings should help everyone add to their totals. See you in a few miles...

Ashprihanal Aalto-2400 miles-new record-31 days+04:08:20

old record-Madhupran Wolfgang Schwerk-31 days+12:54:09

Ashprihanal Aalto-32 days total-new record-2456.4288 miles (3953.2387 km)

old record-Madhupran Wolfgang Schwerk- 2421.3056 miles (3896.7133 km)

Race stories

Everyday is like a new road ahead as the runners learn to take the ultimate goal of 3100 miles as a series of daily and even hourly goals. Like a metaphor for this race this morning the main road on which the race is situated was newly paved. It was a long process but was soon over by the end of the afternoon. Like a newly paved, smooth and fresh road, the runners start each day with a fresh and positive attitude hopeful that the going will be smooth no matter what has happened in previous days.

Race Director's updates

Day 31 A full month is over; only three weeks to go for the 3100 Mile Race. The sticky, humid conditions turned to heavy rain just past noon today, and the runners had to wade through ankle deep puddles and torrential showers for a few hours. By evening the showers left the room and seven runners had made it past 60 miles, with the Big Three at the top doing their '70's thing'- as in 70 miles. Ashprihanal Aalto ran 75.73 again to lead the way. Galya Balatskyy kept his 31 day string of 70 miles intact with 71.34; and Vasu Duzhiy pushed hard the last hour to make 70.79 big ones. Kaneenika Janakova moved up to seventh place overall and Nirbhasa Magee remained above the mileage break point.

Ashprihanal Aalto-31 day total-new record-2380.6944 miles (3831.3560 km)

old record-Madhupran Wolfgang Schwerk-2348.3152 miles (3779.2467 km)

Race stories

On a beautiful day which brought some hard rains later in the afternoon, another runner, Atmavir, passes the 2000 mile mark becoming the fifth runner to do so in this race. Kaneenika expresses some sentiments in the following video as she is steadily approaching that mark along with the other five runners, who all seem to be adjusted to all the challenges they have faced so far and feeling good. With the weather generally in their favor for over a month now, the clouds and the rain tend to cool things down as the runners are moving well towards the ultimate goal of 3100 miles.

Race stories

There is always something to do for what seems to be a simple race just going around and around. But just as the Earth revolves around the Sun, and the Moon around the Earth, it takes energy and patience to keep everything moving smoothly. From fixing bikes, playing music, preparing food, and taking care of the runners' needs, life on the 'block' at the 3100 mile Self-Transcendence Race is anything but boring.

Yesterday we had a taste of some dynamic banjo music which we will see here in this video. Palash, who drove a couple of hours to get to the race, offers her support for the runners with her cheerful and energetic banjo skills.

Race Director's updates

Day 30 The 'elite eleven' made their way around the course today, with a hot sun speckled with breezes and cloud cover at times. The weather has not been a major factor, but the speed and energy at the top of the group seems to be pulling everyone along. Three men led the charge again as temps peaked at about 29-30ºC (86-88F). Vasu Duzhiy is pushing himself to new heights in his running, making 72.44 miles look routine. Consistency is Galya Balatskyy with another day at 71.34 miles- his 30th straight day over 70. Ashprihanal Aalto is still shining at the top with a 75.73 mile day. He needs 795.1 more miles to finish the race. Nirbhasa Magee is a rookie at this distance, but he is again on pace to finish after his 63.66 miles in the heat. It was his best day since Day 11.

Ashprihanal Aalto-2300 miles-new record- 29 days+16:50:00

old record-Madhupran Wolfgang Schwerk- 30 days+06:31:13

Ashprihanal Aalto-30 days total-new record-2304.9600 miles(3709.4733 km)

old-record-Madhupran Wolfgang Schwerk-2271.4832 miles (3655.5976 km)

Race Director's updates

Day 29 It was a hot summer day in New York with temps near 90ºF (31-32C). Nine of the eleven made it past 60 miles, but only two ventured past 70 miles. Luckily the humidity was not overly oppressive. Surasa Mairer has placed herself in sixth place, and is on pace for the second fastest women's performance in history. She is averaging 61.94 miles(99.69 km) per day. She may have trouble holding off Stutisheel Lebedyev, however. The Ukrainian has been feeling a little friskier the last four days and has pulled within 22 miles of Surasa. Vasu Duzhiy is shiningly living in the third position overall, while averaging 69.18 miles per day- nearly 3.5 miles per day better than his PB from last year. Galya V. Balatskyy is still streaking on the 70 mile plateau, with another 70.79 miles added to his collection of now 29 straight days. Ashprihahal Aalto was the day leader again(76.83 miles) as he motors on towards an unknown final result. With 870 miles left in his voyage the excitement is starting to build. Stay healthy and hydrated at all costs, 'oh runners great and small.

Ashprihanal Aalto-3500 km-new record-28 days+04:45:54

old record-Madhupran Wolfgang Schwerk-28 days=12:47:14

Ashprihanal Aalto-2200 miles-new record-28 days+11:11:08

old record-Madhupran Wolfgang Schwerk-29 days+01:03:12

Ashprihanal Aalto-29 days total-new record-2229.2256 miles(3587.5906 km)

old record- Madhupran Wolfgang Schwerk-2195.2000 miles (3532.8317 km)

Race stories

Sundays are a bit different at the 3100 mile race. More local folk come to enjoy sports in the surrounding playgrounds creating a dynamic atmosphere. More visitors come to watch the race and support the runners on a day where they would have more time than the usual weekdays. Sometimes musicians even come to serenade the runners. Jade, a ten year old fan of this race, is the grandaughter of Mario, our official Nurse and Masseur. Jade comes to visit the 3100 every year all the way from Pennsylvania after her school year is over. In this video we get a ten year olds' perspective as Jade speaks about being at the race and some of her interests as the runners pass by on a typical Sunday afternoon.

Race Director's updates

Day 28 Four weeks in and the runners are still going around the famous loop. Today was warm, with temps in the mid to high eighties, with bright sun and little cloud cover. The runners took advantage of the low humidity to up the mileage. Five men made it past 70 miles;eight past at least the 60 mile mark. Stutisheel Lebedyev joined the 70+ club today, his first foray to that stratoshere since Day 9. Atmavir Spacil has great leg speed and he displayed it with 72.44 miles, and was the first to exit early tonight( and get to the shower first!). He is in very good form. Vasu Duzhiy joined Atmavir with his 72.4 miles as well. He is in great shape. I am running out of superlatives for Mr. Galya Balatskyy, who notched his 28th straight day over at least 70 miles. His daily average stands at 72.3 miles after four weeks. Ashprihanal Aalto is edging closer to his dream of finishing this race for the thirteenth time. His lead overall is stunning, and even more impressive is his daily average-76.87 miles per day(123.71 km). These numbers have never been seen before this late in the event in the history of the race. Stay tuned, friends, the next two weeks may be historical.

Ashprihanal Aalto-2100 miles-new record-27 days+05:38:01

old record-Madhupran Schwerk-27 days+12:51:29

Ashprihanal Aalto-28 days total-2152.3936 miles (3463.9415 km)

old record-Madhupran Schwerk-2121.6608 miles (3414.4818 km)

Race stories

Halfway through the race now and more helpers arrive to be part of this epic adventure. This week we have the wonderful services of Aklanta, a doctor from Germany who comes every year to help the runners with any health issues they may have. We also have helpers or handlers of some of the runners who take turns offer their selfless service to keep the runners well fed and hydrated with minimal loss of time as they try to cover their daily mileage with a sense of perpetual motion. In this self-transcendence race even the most qualified of multiday runners need all the assistance they can get to keep them focused on their goal and the immense efforts involved in reaching that goal.

In the following photo slideshow and videos we get to meet Aklanta as well as one of Kaneenika's personal handlers, Tamara. We also get to hear from one of the runners, Nirbhasa from Ireland, who tells us some of the lessons he is learning along the way.

Race Director's updates

Day 27 On a day with low humidity, ample sunshine, brisk winds in the morning and afternoon, the runners run along. Ten of eleven made it past 60, with four men climbing past the 70 mile barrier. Atmavir Petr Spacil returned to his health and fitness level of the first two weeks with a solid 72.44 mile day. Vasu Duzhiy topped 70.79 again to increase his chances for another personal best. Galya Balatskyy continues the new model of consistency as 27 consecutive days over 70 miles is his record alone. Overall leader Ashprihanal Aalto continued his pursuit of perfection with a day leading 77.38 miles. Surasa Mairer is leading the ladies with a fine 61.81 per day average and has stayed above 60 miles for the last 17 days. Even Baladev Pavol Saraz touched 60.36 miles, not having topped sixty since Day 8. The energy of this group is sustaining them and energizing everyone who watches.

Ashprihanal Aalto-2000 miles-new record-26 days+00:33:45

old record-Madhupran Wolfgang Schwerk-26 days+06:33:50

Ashprihanal Aalto-27 days total-new record 2075.0128 miles (3339.4091 km)

old record-Madhupran Wolfgang Schwerk 2045.9264 miles (3292.5991 km)

Race stories

In the 19th and 20th centuries the ultimate multiday races were 6-day track races, usually indoors. Later in the twentieth century the super long distance runners began to transcend those distances with 1,000 mile races and beyond. Although the record for a 1,000 mile race is 10 days and 10 hours, usually 12 to 13 days would win one of these grueling multidays. Ashprihanal has just completed two back to back 1000 mile distances, each in just 13 days! Now he has 'caught up' to current historical time and is in the '21st century' of this race, so to speak. Galya and others are fast approaching this well over halfway mark also. With just a few more weeks to go this mind-boggling and seemingly impossible task of 3100 miles on a half-mile concrete sidewalk has developed into an amazing race with world and personal records soon to be achieved. It is not over yet, so stay tuned for more surprises and excitement as the concept of 'self-transcendence' grows into an ever evolving powerful reality.

In this following short video Stutisheel talks about how nice it is to receive messages from friends and family.